Two years ago, the Hershey Bears named Dylan McIlrath as the team’s 45th captain in their illustrious history. Considering the fast-paced nature of player movement in the AHL, it’s a short list for a team boasting 86 years of history. Today, McIlrath has joined an exclusive club of just three Bears captains to guide the team to back-to-back Calder Cup titles. As the 2024-25 season dawns, McIlrath has the chance to do something no one else has done with the “C” on his jersey.
Sweet Combination of McIlrath, Nelson
It made perfect sense for McIlrath to earn the nod as Hershey’s captain. The Bears had just named Todd Nelson as the team’s head coach, and the two shared some history. The duo had previously worked together with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017, ending in a Calder Cup title. Nelson, like assistant coaches Nick Bootland and Patrick Wellar, played for the Bears before becoming coaches. The ties to the organization ran deep, and there’s a lot to like for fans.
McIlrath’s presence paid immediate dividends. A massive presence on the blue line at 6’4, 235 pounds, he brings a physical presence and strikes fear into opponents. It only takes one or two big hits from “Big Mac” to make an opposing player reconsider their choices. Hershey has built an impressive compliment of defenders along with McIlrath. Every one of them has the benefit of learning from him to improve their game every day.
Big Accomplishment for ‘Big Mac’
When the Bears captured their 13th Calder Cup title on Matt Strome’s overtime goal in Game Six, McIlrath made history. Hershey has three sets of back-to-back championships, with each set guided by the same captain. The 1958 and 1959 titles had Ellard O’Brien as captain in each season. In 2009 and 2010, the Bears were guided by Bryan Helmer, who shapes the new team in his role as Vice President of Hockey Operations.
McIlrath had a standout season in 2023-24 which included his first All-Star nomination. He served as the playing captain of the Atlantic Division, with Helmer delivering the news from the league. McIlrath very nearly won the Hardest Shot contest during the skills portion of the event, clocking his shot at 100.8 miles per hour.
“It was so great to get the call from Scott Howson,” Helmer said. “What Dylan has done in his career in the AHL is pretty special. Winning a championship in Grand Rapids, then winning the one last year. He’s a professional in how he handles himself and it’s great to see him get rewarded.”
Back-to-Back Bears
The Bears were an underdog of sorts in 2023. They faced the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the final round, who were billed as the league’s top team. Hershey dropped the first two games of the Calder Cup Finals by a collective 9-0 score. They dug deep on home ice, winning three straight at home and needed overtime in Game Seven. Mike Vecchione had the winner in the first sudden death goal of its kind in AHL history. The win broke a drought of 13 years between titles for the league’s most senior franchise.
A year later, the Bears appeared set to steamroll the competition. In a historic season, the Bears finished with 111 points and collided with the Firebirds for the second straight year. Once again, Hershey fell behind by a 2-1 series count and needed to win at Acrisure Arena. Outside of Vecchione’s goal a year ago, the arena was a house of horrors. Hershey rattled off two wins by 3-2 final scores. It all led up to Strome’s goal on home ice, just the second time Hershey has won it all on home ice since 1980.
In two straight years, McIlrath accepted the Calder Cup from Scott Howson.
“It was an amazing year,” McIlrath said after lifting the Calder Cup. “This team was something special. We knew that from the get-go, we had the expectation that we were the best and we’d have to run it back. That takes a lot of mental toughness to get through it.”
Roaring for Even More
As the 2024-25 season approaches, McIlrath and the Bears have a chance to accomplish something special. Hershey has made moves to replace players who departed over the summer. By all counts, it appears the Chocolate and White will be positioned well to run it back once again. That group of returning personnel includes head coach Todd Nelson and his staff. With many contract decisions looming in 2025, it may be the last chance to run it back for much of this group including McIlrath.
If the Bears can raise another banner, McIlrath would stand alone in Bears history to do so in three straight years. In a league with increased parity, even winning back-to-back has become nearly impossible. It has not been done since Helmer’s group lifted the Cup in 2010. A team winning three straight titles has only happened once, and not since the Springfield Indians did it in the early 1960s. It’ll be a big challenge for the Bears to achieve a rare piece of history they’ve never done before.
It’ll be harder than anything this group has accomplished. It’s a chance that has become rarer and rarer in the AHL. McIlrath and the Bears can achieve it this season.
